Afghanistan is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists. The killing of journalists is an attack on the independence of the media.
When journalists are threatened and targeted with impunity, it emboldens perpetrators and creates a climate of fear and self-censorship in the media. In Afghanistan from 1st January 2018 to31st January 2021 a total of 65 human rights defenders were murdered. Two-thirds of those killed worked to protect environmental, land, and indigenous peoples’ rights, while those providing Covid relief also faced reprisals. The web infographic below shows the number of human rights defenders, journalists, and media workers killed in Afghanistan.
